Recipe: Summer Bake Sale Doughnuts (yeast dough, makes 30 donuts and 40 donut holes)

SUMMER BAKE SALE DOUGHNUTS

"This recipe is based on one from Gert Runkle, whose doughnuts were popular items at Lake Forest (IL) summer bake sales in the 1960s and '70s. It makes a big batch of doughnuts and doughnut holes."

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees F)
2 eggs, well beaten
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup white granulated sugar
8 to 8 1/2 cups flour, divided use
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 (48 ounces) bottle canola oil (for frying)
2 cups confectioners' sugar (for dusting)

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH:
Add yeast to the warm water in a large mixing bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in the eggs, shortening and granulated sugar until smooth.

Beat in 4 cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time, with an electric mixer on medium speed just until combined. Stir in 2 cups of the flour. Mix in the remaining 2 cups with your hands, adding more as needed to form a soft dough. Cover; let rise 2 hours at room temperature or refrigerate 12 hours.

TO MAKE THE DOUGHNUTS:
Punch down the dough; roll out to 1/2-inch thickness on a well-floured board. Cut into doughnuts with a 3 1/2-inch doughnut cutter or biscuit cutter. (If using a biscuit cutter, cut out the center doughnut holes with a 1/2-inch cutter.) Reroll scraps of dough to cut more doughnut holes. Place on floured baking sheets; let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

TO FRY THE DOUGHNUTS:
Heat oil to 375 degrees F in a Dutch oven. Add doughnuts, three at a time. Cook 45 seconds; turn. Cook 45 seconds more. Dip in confectioners' sugar; place on a paper-lined platter. Add doughnut holes to the oil. Cook, turning in the oil as needed, until lightly brown, about 20 seconds.

Makes 30 doughnuts and 40 doughnut holes
Adapted from a recipe from Gail Creath of Lake Forest, IL
Source: Chicago Tribune, August 6, 2008